Biden greenlighting a big change in US immigration policy, which can benefit upwards of half-a-million immigrants, should be big news for India. To qualify for the programme, an immigrant without legal status must have lived in US for 10 years and be married to a US citizen as of June 17, 2024. Applicants can then get a Green Card, a temporary work permit and eventual citizenship without having to leave US first.
Powering America | Such openness to immigration is also why US remains the most powerful economy in the world. An analysis by the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants paid over $500 billion in US taxes in 2021; they account for 22.2% of entrepreneurs, 22.8% of STEM workers and 15.2% of nurses. So, well done Biden.
Indian immigrants | The same analysis also points out that India was the source of 6% of immigrants to US, the second after Mexico at 24%. This is no surprise. India ranked first in the global remittance chart in 2023, with Indians working abroad sending back home a whopping $125 billion. India finds itself in a sweet spot. It has a huge population of young people at a time when many developed nations are in population decline. Thus, India can send millions of young workers to countries facing severe labour shortage.
Emigration push | GOI takes pride in the Indian diaspora, viewing them as a strategic economic and soft power resource. But the process can be strengthened further if GOI creates a post of minister for emigration. This would streamline the process of Indian emigration by helping match skilled and semi-skilled Indian labour with global employers. The minister for emigration would liaison with foreign immigration departments, and therefore help cut down on illegal immigration. Given changes in global labour markets, it’s a win-win that GOI must not pass up on.
This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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